1. Ed Bujold, MD, AAFP Practice Website: www.bujoldmd.com

2. 300,000 Sports related concussions occur each year

3. Football and Soccer have the highest rates of concussion High school girls sustain a higher incidence of concussions

4. Concussions among females represented a greater portion of total injuries compared to boys Concussions are the 2 nd most common traumatic brain injury after motor vehicle accidents in adolescents and children

5. In North Carolina, 1/3-1/2 of the high schools aren’t staffed with certified athletic trainers. Concussions are under reported among high school football players

6. Did not think it was serious enough-66% Did not want to leave a game-41% Did not know it was a concussion-36% Did not want to let down teammates-22%

7. 70-90% of concussions are mild Less than 10% of concussions cause LOC Taken individually the problem may seem minor or trivialized

8. Parental Expectations The Madison Bumgarner/Ryan Succop Syndrome.

9. Crucial to get backing from the high school principal, coaching staff and school superintendent Discussion with parents before the start of the season including written protocols Stepping outside of the system-expert 2 nd opinion

10. Break down of the brain’s autoregulation system Leakage of fluid into the substance of the brain Escalating pressure, the brain pushes through a small opening onto the brain stem resulting in death